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It was claimed Whittaker had been drinking following the death of his mother, which had left him suffering “loneliness”, and leaving him with “no sense of direction”.

Whittaker, of Church Road in Waterloo, admitted sexual assault and was jailed for 12 weeks by Recorder Simon Medland QC.

The attack came 18 months after he had been released on licence.

Steven Whittaker, 59 and of Church Road in Waterloo, was returned to prison on licence after sexually assaulting a woman in Liverpool. He has previously been handed two life sentences, including one for murder (Image: Handout)

The killer was first jailed for life when he battered a man to death as a teenager.

In January, 1978, Liverpool Crown Court heard how Whittaker, then from Huyton, had beaten 34-year-old John Kelly to death.

Both men, who did not know each other, had been drinking in the Prescot area. An ECHO court report from the time told how Whittaker, who had earlier been seen in a “belligerent mood” was spotted kicking Mr Kelly on the ground.

He then removed his victim’s shoes and beat Mr Kelly in the face with them, before jumping on his head.

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Liverpool Crown Court heard Whittaker then received another life sentence in the 1990s - thought to relate to an offence of grievous bodily harm with intent in Derbyshire in 1994.

Jailing him this time, Recorder Medland QC said Whittaker had “sexually interfered” with his victim and, while he may not have intended to cause distress he did, he had left him no choice but to give him another jail term.

That term was 12 weeks - but Whittaker’s sentence will be far longer after the city centre attack saw him recalled on licence for his latest life term.